Faithful Giving: The Heart of Planned Gifts

JAMES W. MURPHY, a Certified Fund Raising Executive, is Managing Program Director at the Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF). Active in ecumenical collaborations, he works with congregations, dioceses, and other Episcopal organizations to grow their endowments and develop their planned giving programs and various philanthropic efforts and resources. He holds a Masters in Christian Spirituality from General Theological Seminary, and a Bachelors from NYU's Stern School of Business. He is a member of the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) and the Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York (PPGGNY). He lives in New Jersey.

Sarah Charters is President and Director of Philanthropy for The United Church of Canada Foundation. Sarah oversees the Foundation, governance, granting and investing portfolios as well as fundraising, including planned giving, for both the Foundation and Church, working with donors and communities of faith on their financial stewardship and giving. Sarah is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (Toronto Chapter) and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Jane Harding is newly retired from the Stewardship & Gifts Office for the United Church of Canada where she worked with congregations and local areas of the church through assessment, planning and implementation of Stewardship and Legacy programs and with individuals who are inspired to leave a legacy to any area of the church. She is an active member of the Association for Fund Raising Professionals, Volunteer Vancouver, and the Canadian Association of Gift Planners. Jane lives in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada.

Margaret M. Holman is president of Holman Consulting, a full-service fund-raising consulting firm she founded in New York City in 1991. She is an emerita president of the Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York. She is co-author of The Complete Guide to Careers in Fund Raising (Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company), co-author of Major Gifts Fundraising (Directory of Social Change in England) and is a contributing author of The Nonprofit Consulting Playbook (Charity Channel Publishing). She lives in New York City.

Davida Isaacson is the Senior Philanthropic Advisor for The Seeing Eye, Inc. in Morristown, NJ. After a successful career in trust and estate banking, Davida became the Director of Planned Giving and Endowments for WNET, the New York public television station. Following her tenure at WNET Davida became Executive Director of the Jewish Community Foundation of MetroWest (NJ) during which she oversaw planned giving initiatives for partner agencies. A nationally recognized speaker on all aspects of planned giving, Davida is an ongoing volunteer for the planned gift efforts at her synagogue, Adath Shalom. She lives in Wharton, NJ.

Roger Janes serves as Stewardship & Gifts Officer for the Atlantic Region, and all of Eastern Canada and Bermuda for the United Church of Canada. Previously he was Stewardship Staff resource for the Newfoundland and Labrador Conference. He provides leadership, support and resources to communities of faith in the areas of congregational stewardship, denominational fundraising and planned giving. He lives in Grand Falls - Windsor, NL, Canada.

Anwar Khan is President of Islamic Relief USA. With more than 25 years of experience working in the field of humanitarian and development assistance, Mr. Khan grew up in the U.K. and moved to America to help found Islamic Relief USA. Mr. Khan has served on several boards and was an advisor for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)'s Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid (ACVFA), and the U.S. State Department's Religion and Foreign Policy Working Group. Currently, he serves on the board of World Food Program USA, Joint Learning Initiative and the Alliance to End Hunger. He is on the Advisory Council for Muslim Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University. He lives in Alexandria, VA.

Yvonne Jones Lembo serves as a Regional Gift Planner with the ELCA Foundation. With more than 20 years of experience in non-profit development, Yvonne's gift planning expertise has helped families, congregations and ELCA organizations in the Mid-Atlantic harvest more than $30 million for their stewardship, mission and legacy goals. She holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Harvard University and received the Master of Divinity with honors from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP). Yvonne completed courses in the Certified Estate and Trust Specialist program with the Institute of Business and Finance. She lives in Camden, DE.

Karl Mattison is the Vice President of Planned Giving Resources and of the Planned Giving Navigator program at the Presbyterian Foundation. He had previously served as the first Executive Director for the Presbyterian Endowment Education Resource Network and as the Washington, DC representative for the Presbyterian Foundation. Prior to a career in banking, Karl studied, taught and volunteered extensively in Russia and the former Soviet Union. A graduate of Davidson College, Karl also studied abroad at Moscow Aviation Institute and did his graduate coursework in Russian studies at Georgetown University. He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.

M. Yaqub Mirza is President and CEO of Sterling Management Group and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Amana Mutual Funds. He is a member of the Board of Directors, University Islamic Financial Corporation, a banking subsidiary and a member of the Board of Trustees, George Mason University Foundation, Inc. Dr. Mirza is President and Trustee of Center for Islam in the Contemporary World and and Trustee and Chair, Investment & Endowment Committee at Shenandoah University. He is also a member of the Council of Advisors, Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University. He is the author of Five Pillars of Prosperity: Essentials of Faith-Based Wealth Building (White Cloud Press, 2014). He holds a PhD in Physics and MA in Teaching Science from the University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Mirza lives in Herndon, VA.

Peter Misiaszek is the Director of Stewardship Development for the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. From 2010-2012, the Diocese of Toronto ran a diocesan-wide major fundraising campaign that realized over $35,000,000 in revenue and secured significant ministry investment across several program areas. Nearly 9,000 members of the Anglican church in Toronto made a financial contribution to this effort. Peter is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). He holds an MA in Political Science from the University of Waterloo. Peter lives in Whitby, Ontario, Canada.

Randall Nyce is an Everence(R) Stewardship Consultant, helping families, businesses, non-profits, and congregations with stewardship and charitable gift planning. Active in the community, Randy volunteers as board chair of Healthy Niños Honduras. He serves at Salford Mennonite Church as board chair and previously served on the boards of Delaware Valley MEDA, MAMA Project, Kairos School for Spiritual Formation, and Franconia Mennonite Conference. He is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite University and has a certificate in Urban Studies from The School for Urban Mission, Washington, DC, holding The Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy(R) (CAP(R)) designation from The American College. Randy lives in Souderton, PA.

Amy Palmer is currently the Director of Development for the Adrian Dominican Sisters in Adrian, Michigan where she provides leadership for the Congregation's fundraising initiatives including planned giving, monthly giving, major gifts and donor stewardship. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, United Way Retirees Association and The Nonprofit Alliance. Amy is the Vice Chair of the Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority Board of Directors. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and has earned her Certificate in Philanthropic Psychology from The Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy. She lives in Britton, Michigan.

Peter C. Pereira, CPA not in Public Practice, was the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of The Episcopal Church in Hawai'i,1991 - 2022. Peter oversaw the full financial operation of Hawaii's Episcopal Diocese including oversight of the combined endowment portfolio of the Diocese worth over $45 million. A member of a number accounting and fundraising organizations including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Hawaii Society of Certified Public Accountants (HSCPA), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and the Hawaii Planned Giving Council, Peter especially enjoys meeting with prospective donors, learning their church story and connecting the dots for the purposes of planned giving. He lives in Mililani, Hawaii.

Arlene D. Schiff is the National Director of the LIFE & LEGACY(R) program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF). In this role she works directly with 36 communities in addition to overseeing LIFE & LEGACY's implementation in 72 communities (and more than 750 organizations) throughout North America toward a goal of building organizational endowments through after-lifetime giving. Prior to joining HGF, Arlene served as the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts, a position she held for 12 years. Arlene is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and holds a MA from Harvard University. She lives in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts.

Pandit Roopnauth Sharma currently is engaged in senior positions in the following diverse community organizations: President of the Hindu Federation, an Umbrella body representing significant Hindu Temples in Ontario; President Canadian Multi-faith Federation (CMF), an umbrella body representing over thirty faith groups; Vice president and Hindu Chaplin for Interfaith Chaplaincy (IFC) in support of Spiritual care services at Correctional Services Canada (CSC); Founder and Spiritual Leader Mississauga Ram Mandir (Hindu Temple). He was ordained via the method of Lineage and Heritage and lives in Mississauga, Ontario.

Perkin F. Simpson is the Executive Director of Urban Alliance, a faith-based non-profit located in East Hartford, CT. Perkin oversees all aspects of the organization, including communications and gift development. Prior to this role, he worked for the American Baptist Foundation, the denomination's center for planned giving for 13 years. His prior career experiences also include positions at Prudential Financial, UBS PaineWebber, and The Hartford Insurance Company. He is holds a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP(R)) designation and is pursuing his doctorate in Financial and Retirement Planning Services from the American College. He lives in West Granby, Connecticut.

Stacy B. Sulman is the Chief Legal Officer and Vice President for Personalized Philanthropy and for the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, where she has worked for over 13 years. Among other responsibilities, Stacy oversees planned giving, including the organization's loyalty and legacy societies, estate settlements, and gift annuity administration. Stacy teaches Planned Giving at New York University's Heyman School for Philanthropy and Fundraising, and speaks on various aspects of planned giving to local, regional, and national groups Stacy currently serves as Immediate Past President of the Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York. She lives in Randolph, NJ.

David P. Uribe, OMI is the Oblate Executive Director/Oblate Chaplain Director for Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate (MAMI-USA), a fundraising organization for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate of the United States Province. As priest-director, he oversees MAMI-USA, a merged direct mail program based in San Antonio, TX (Oblate Missions) and Belleville, IL (Missionary Association of Mary Immaculate), including the Charitable & Planned-Giving team that offers major donor services and solutions: planned-giving, donation designations, annuities and overall donor relations. Prior to priesthood, he was a career counselor and internship coordinator at St. Edward's University networking with many nonprofits, businesses and corporations at the local, state, national and international levels. He lives in Belleville, IL.

Rupinder Singh Brar, is one of the founding members of the Sikh Community Center in Yuba City, California, where he volunteers his spare time by teaching Sikh history and philosophy to high school students. He is a practicing cardiologist in Yuba City, California, where he serves as a member of the board of directors at the local hospital and also the director of the Adventist Heart and Vascular Institute. He lives in Yuba City, CA.

Perkin F. Simpson is the Executive Director of Urban Alliance, a faith-based non-profit located in East Hartford, CT. Perkin oversees all aspects of the organization, including communications and gift development. Prior to this role, he worked for the American Baptist Foundation, the denomination's center for planned giving for 13 years. His prior career experiences also include positions at Prudential Financial, UBS PaineWebber, and The Hartford Insurance Company. He is holds a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP(R)) designation and is pursuing his doctorate in Financial and Retirement Planning Services from the American College. He lives in West Granby, Connecticut.

Carl P. Daw, Jr. is an Episcopal priest and writer who served as the executive director of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada from 1996 to 2009. He has been successively Secretary and Chair of the Standing Commission on Church Music of the Episcopal Church and was a consultant member of the Text Committee for The Hymnal 1982. Daw taught hymnology in the Master of Sacred Music program at the Boston University School of Music from 1996 to 2019 and at the Institute of Sacred Music at Yale Divinity School from 2018 to 2019. He lives in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Roger Janes serves as Stewardship & Gifts Officer for the Atlantic Region, and all of Eastern Canada and Bermuda for the United Church of Canada. Previously he was Stewardship Staff resource for the Newfoundland and Labrador Conference. He provides leadership, support and resources to communities of faith in the areas of congregational stewardship, denominational fundraising and planned giving. He lives in Grand Falls - Windsor, NL, Canada.

M. Yaqub Mirza is President and CEO of Sterling Management Group and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Amana Mutual Funds. He is a member of the Board of Directors, University Islamic Financial Corporation, a banking subsidiary and a member of the Board of Trustees, George Mason University Foundation, Inc. Dr. Mirza is President and Trustee of Center for Islam in the Contemporary World and and Trustee and Chair, Investment & Endowment Committee at Shenandoah University. He is also a member of the Council of Advisors, Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University. He is the author of Five Pillars of Prosperity: Essentials of Faith-Based Wealth Building (White Cloud Press, 2014). He holds a PhD in Physics and MA in Teaching Science from the University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Mirza lives in Herndon, VA.

Peter C. Pereira, CPA not in Public Practice, was the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of The Episcopal Church in Hawai'i,1991 - 2022. Peter oversaw the full financial operation of Hawaii's Episcopal Diocese including oversight of the combined endowment portfolio of the Diocese worth over $45 million. A member of a number accounting and fundraising organizations including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Hawaii Society of Certified Public Accountants (HSCPA), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and the Hawaii Planned Giving Council, Peter especially enjoys meeting with prospective donors, learning their church story and connecting the dots for the purposes of planned giving. He lives in Mililani, Hawaii.

Stacy B. Sulman is the Chief Legal Officer and Vice President for Personalized Philanthropy and for the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, where she has worked for over 13 years. Among other responsibilities, Stacy oversees planned giving, including the organization's loyalty and legacy societies, estate settlements, and gift annuity administration. Stacy teaches Planned Giving at New York University's Heyman School for Philanthropy and Fundraising, and speaks on various aspects of planned giving to local, regional, and national groups Stacy currently serves as Immediate Past President of the Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York. She lives in Randolph, NJ.

Robert F. Sharpe, Jr. was CEO of Encore, a leading philanthropic management consulting firm. Sharpe was chair of the philanthropy editorial board of Trusts & Estates magazine, and his remarks have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Newsweek, Forbes, Smart Money, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Trusts & Estates and Kiplinger's. He lived in Memphis, TN before his death in 2022.

Lucinda Mosher is the author of two books in the Faith in the Neighborhood series, Belonging and Praying. She holds a Th.D. from General Theological Seminary, and teaches extensively in universities, seminaries, and parishes about world religions and inter-religious relations. She lives in northeast Florida.